AI is empowering industries/organizations by speeding up processes, making them smarter, and more efficient. But, with great power comes great responsibility—especially when it comes to security. Just like the infamous trojan horse that caught Troy off guard, hidden vulnerabilities in AI systems can sneak in and wreak havoc. If businesses don’t take AI security seriously, what was meant to be a game-changer could quickly become their biggest risk.
Jeff Pollard, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester, had an interesting take during his discussion with Trend Micro’s David Roth. He said, “I hesitate to say we’ve reached peak AI hype. We have to be close, or I think we're all going to have a terrible time in the industry because there are so many false promises or expectations being laid out that just aren't being met right now.” In other words, AI is everywhere, but not all of it lives up to the hype.
He also pointed out something businesses should be paying close attention to, “If you have enterprise software in your business, it has AI now. Whether it's SAP Joule, Salesforce with Einstein GPT, Microsoft with Copilot, and the dozens of other names out there. That’s another area you need to worry about because this changes the ways users interact with company data.”
AI isn’t just something you choose to adopt anymore—it’s already embedded into the tools you apply daily. And with that comes a whole new set of risks that businesses can’t afford to ignore.
AI’s expanding security gaps
AI thrives on data, complex algorithms, and self-learning models—but that also makes it a prime target for cybercriminals. Hackers can manipulate AI by feeding it bad data (data poisoning) leading to wrong decision-making. As businesses rely more on AI-driven automation, any security breach can have serious consequences. The more we depend on AI, the bigger the risks become.
Imagine a bank rolling out an AI-powered fraud detection system to catch suspicious transactions. Hackers find a way to feed it bad data—sneaking in fraudulent transactions little by little. Over time, the AI starts learning from this corrupted data and stops flagging real fraud. The result? Millions lost before anyone realizes what’s happening.
This is why businesses can’t just set and forget AI security. Without regular monitoring and strong safeguards, AI can go from being a defence system to a massive security hole—giving cybercriminals exactly what they need to slip through the cracks.
Know the risks lurking in your AI adoption journey
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Data poisoning attacks: AI models are only as good as the data they learn from. If attackers sneak in bad data, they can manipulate results—causing fraud detection systems to fail, stock predictions to go wrong, or even AI-powered medical diagnoses to be inaccurate. |
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Adversarial attacks: Hackers can subtly tweak input data to trick AI models. Imagine a tiny change to an image that a human wouldn’t notice, but an AI suddenly misclassifies it—potentially breaking facial recognition, self-driving cars, or security systems. |
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Data leaks and AI model theft: Some attacks don’t just trick AI—they steal from it. Hackers can reverse-engineer sensitive training data or copy entire AI models by repeatedly testing them, exposing private information and stealing valuable technology. |
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AI bias and ethical risks: AI isn’t perfect—it learns from the data it’s given. If that data is biased, the AI can make unfair calls in hiring, loans, or even law enforcement. And that’s not just bad for business—it can lead to lawsuits, damage your reputation, and spark public outrage. |
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The ‘Black Box’ problem: AI can sometimes feel like a mystery—making decisions without showing its work. That’s a problem when things go wrong because spotting security threats or errors becomes much harder. To stay ahead, businesses need AI that’s clear, accountable, and easy to trust. |
Keep your AI buddy secure: Simple steps to stay protected
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Protect your data: Make sure AI learns from clean, trustworthy data by validating, monitoring, and catching anything suspicious. |
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Defend against attacks: Train AI to recognize and resist manipulation attempts, making it harder for hackers to fool. |
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Keep an eye on AI: Use security tools that spot unusual AI behavior and respond quickly to threats. |
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Make AI transparent: Choose AI systems that explain their decisions, so you can catch errors and biases early. Build algorithms that show logical thinking. |
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Keep AI updated: Keep your AI models updated to defend against evolving threats, restrict access to prevent unauthorized use, and proactively monitor for new security risks. Staying ahead ensures your AI remains accurate, reliable, and protected from cyberattacks. |
Are you aware of Air Canada's costly chatbot mistake incident? In February 2024, a customer reportedly managed to manipulate the airline’s AI chatbot into approving a refund larger than intended. The chatbot misinterpreted the request, leading to an overpayment. What seemed like a minor glitch turned into a costly mistake, proving that AI-powered chatbots, if left unmonitored and unsecured, can result in significant financial losses. Beyond the monetary impact, incidents like this highlight the risks businesses face when AI operates without proper oversight and security measures.
Your AI buddy can be your solid enabler, but there are risks involved. If not properly secured, the very systems designed to improve efficiency could become entry points for cyber threats. Staying ahead means identifying vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them and putting strong security measures in place. With the right precautions—and the right experts by your side—you can harness AI’s full power without the hidden dangers.
